


False Start

by MyJediLife



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Ben is a physical therapist, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, GO BLUE, Happy Birthday Fic, I Don't Even Know, Inappropriate use of a massage table, Inappropriate use of an exercise mat, Rey (Star Wars) is a Mess, Rey Needs A Hug, Rey is a swimmer, Rey seems to hurt herself a lot, Slow Burn, Swimming AU, University of Michigan, What Have I Done, but not really, i have no chill, swolo fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-23 09:17:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20240458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyJediLife/pseuds/MyJediLife
Summary: Rey Sands is a collegiate swimmer and an engineering student at the University of Michigan. Ben Solo is a doctorate student and a physical therapist for the swimming program.When they discover their mutual attraction for each other - can Rey keep her hands off him long enough to make it to Nationals?





	False Start

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MizuPhoenix](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MizuPhoenix/gifts).

> This is a gift to my wonderful friend and Force Bonded triplet - [MizuPhoenix](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MizuPhoenix)!!! Remember when you gave me that prompt a gazillion years ago? Yeah, this is what happens when you leave me unattended and I know you have a birthday coming up! I love ya to the moon and back, my friend! I hope you enjoy this!
> 
> Thanks as always to my beta and moodboard artist - [Azuwrite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuwrite), and also to [Kaybohls](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaybohls) for an additional moodie!

[](https://imgur.com/UFN3mJX)

“Shit!” Rey said as she touched the wall, glancing across the lanes of the pool to where her coach stood, timer in hand. She knew she was just over her best time, and if she didn’t push herself more, she would never be ready for this week’s meet with State.

“Half a second over, Sands! You’re never gonna beat Connix to get to conference championships like this. You need to push it harder! Give me another 200, and then hit the showers. Push yourself this time, got it?”

Rey gave him a thumbs up, internally psyching herself up as she climbed out of the pool and headed to the starting block so she could try again.

….

If she didn’t have swimming, Rey knew she would be working in Plutt’s garage still, getting paid a pittance and doing all the work. She had a natural talent for swimming, though, and after she won the state championship in both the 50 and 200 Freestyle, colleges started offering her scholarships left and right.

She had picked the University of Michigan, both because it was across the country from Plutt and Jakku, Nevada, and also because it had an amazing Engineering program. She had packed up her 1985 Chevette with her meager belongings, and, using all the money she had saved up from working two jobs in high school, made the journey to Ann Arbor, Michigan the day after she graduated high school.

She had thrived here ever since, working two jobs, plus managing to maintain a 3.7 GPA in her classes. Rey had always been a fighter, ever since she was small. She hated the stereotype that foster kids were throwaways that would never succeed in life – and she was determined to make sure she broke that stereotype.

Today was a lifting day for the team, meaning they spent half of their practice time in the weight room. Rey didn’t mind it so much, they would normally have music pumping through the speakers placed around the room – and it was always nice to have eye candy in the form of the men’s swim team to occupy her as well.

She really enjoyed it, though, because of the tall, impossibly hot physical therapist for the team. Ben Solo was probably the hottest man she had ever seen, and every time he walked through the weight room, Rey found her eyes glued to him. He would nod to her and smile, his sinful chocolate eyes caressing her as he walked by, and Rey found herself sighing as she watched him passing by.

….

Part of his requirement for graduating with his doctorate was volunteering as a team physical therapist for one of the University’s athletic programs. Ben had been a swimmer in high school, and so he had chosen to work with the swim teams to fulfill his obligation.

After Rey Sands had joined the team two years ago, Ben was insanely glad he had picked to work with the swim team. She was a sun-kissed beauty from somewhere out west, and she was the sole reason he made excuses to walk through the weight room during team lifting, or why he volunteered to be at the meets for the team every chance he could.

Now, if only he could find the courage to  _ talk _ to her. Every time he got close to her, she would smile at him, her hazel eyes bright and shining, and Ben’s breath would catch in his throat. She was beautiful, an amazing swimmer, and kind to everyone who interacted with her. Ben caught snippets of conversation as he worked with the team, and no one had a bad word to say about her.

The team had a meet coming up against their rival – Michigan State – and Ben planned on being there, both to stand by in case he was needed, and to watch Rey swim. He would always cheer everyone on from his perch to one side of the team’s bench, holding his breath every time one of Rey’s events came up.

If she was beautiful out of the water, she was like a goddess in it, Amphitrite personified as she moved through the water, legs and arms moving in unison until it almost seemed as if she were floating through air. Ben would never get enough of watching her.

….

As he left Canham Natatorium later that night, Ben walked along the sidewalk towards the parking lot, glancing down at his phone. He didn’t see her until it was too late, his much taller frame slamming into hers with alarming force.

Ben reacted quickly, one large hand coming up to grab the other person’s forearm so their forward motion towards the ground was halted.

“Don’t you bloody look where you’re walking, you wanker?” Rey’s voice was annoyed as she spoke, her eyes moving upwards to see Ben Solo standing there, grasping her arm to keep her from toppling over after he had ran into her. “Oh! I am so sorry, Ben… you, you’re not a wanker, my apologies!”

Her hazel eyes bore into his, and Ben couldn’t look away, even as his face turned red with embarrassment. “I…” He gulped, swallowing hard before continuing, “I’m sorry. I… I should have been watching where I was going. I just was looking at something concerning my thesis, and I got kinda distracted.”

His hand on her arm was warm, and Rey let a smile creep onto her face, tiny sparks flying through her veins at his touch. “It’s ok. I understand. I ran into a pole last semester, the week before finals, because I was going over my notes. I get it. I was just heading to the library to study a bit, how about you?”

Ben had been getting ready to go home – but as his eyes met Rey’s again, he changed his mind.

“I was headed that way as well. Shall we?”

….

Try as hard as she could, Rey couldn’t concentrate with Ben sitting that close to her. She could have sworn she felt his eyes on her many times, but whenever she looked up, he was looking back at his laptop screen.

Finally, the library assistants came around to warn them they were closing for the night, and as they made their way out to the steps of the building, Rey looked up at Ben. “I’m starving! Wanna go to Fleetwood’s for some hippie hash?”

Ben let out a chuckle, wondering how she could stay so skinny on meals like that. “Yeah, I’d love to.”

Fleetwood’s was a popular destination for students, either studying late, or after hitting the bars. Rey had never been a drinker – not after dealing with Unkar Plutt and his drunken rages as a kid. Being an athlete almost meant she couldn’t drink – which was fine with Rey. She preferred to have her senses clear at all times. As they opened the doors, a group of obviously drunk frat boys rushed out, bumping into Rey and pushing her back, her ankle twisting painfully as Ben caught her for the second time that night.

When his arms came around her, Rey deliberately pressed back into his solid, strong body, taking note of the muscles that she could feel underneath his clothes. It had been a long, dry time for Rey, and having the feel of a man pressed up against her – especially  _ this _ man – had her core clenching, her panties instantly soaked.

Not having sex in a year because you’d been focused on studying, working and swimming, definitely was not normal, but Rey had never been one to casually fall into bed with anyone. Her freshman year at Michigan she had a boyfriend, but they had realized after a few months that they just weren’t right for each other, and had parted amicably.

Since then, her fingers and her vibrator had been her best friends. The feeling of Ben’s arms around her, though, was sending desire through her body like electricity dancing along her nerve endings. He could feel his breath on her hair as he held her carefully, only letting her go once the frat boys had moved outside the restaurant.

Her ankle was throbbing, and as they moved inside, Rey was limping as they moved towards an empty table. Ben frowned down at her as the moved towards a table in the back. As she slid into the booth, Ben frowned at her again as she winced a little.

“You’re hurt. Those idiots! Pushing through the door like they did…” Ben turned to look out the window, as if he could take on six drunk frat boys at once just because they had stomped on her ankle accidentally. “Move over towards the window and let me sit by you, please,” Ben asked softly.

As Rey scooted over so Ben could sit by her, her breath caught in her throat once more, her mouth going dry as he settled beside her, offering her a shy smile. “Turn sideways and put your leg up on my lap, please. I’m going to take a look at that ankle. I can’t let our best swimmer get an injury before a huge meet like State.”

Rey flushed, the thought of Ben’s hands on her skin had her core clenching again. What was it about this man that made her feel like a horny teenager again? Ben’s eyes showed his concern, though, and Rey had to remind herself that this was what he did for a living. He was a professional – of course he would be concerned.

Rey lifted her leg up on Ben’s lap as she turned sideways, watching as he pulled up the leg of her jeans to reveal her lower leg. Her ankle was starting to swell a bit, an angry red and purple that Rey was certain would darken overnight.

“Shit,” she breathed softly. “Coach is going to have a cow when he sees this.”

Ben started above the ankle, his large hands circling her leg as he started to massage the muscles above her ankle. Sparks danced across Rey’s skin, and her breath hitched in her throat at the feeling of Ben’s hands on her bare skin. His eyes came up to meet hers, and Rey’s mouth went dry once more as she held his glance.

She liked the way his hands felt on her, and she liked  _ him _ . Rey hoped he might be able to tell from the way she was looking at him.

“You should stay off your ankle the rest of the night and tomorrow, if you can. Put some ice on it to keep the swelling down,” Ben’s voice was soft as he kept his gaze locked with hers, his hands still working over her leg.

Rey swallowed thickly, finally nodding in answer to him.” I… I can do that.”

“How does this feel?” Ben asked, his voice low and sultry sounding as his hands kneaded gently at her flesh, the electricity across her skin making her forget momentarily about her ankle throbbing.

“Wonderful,” Rey said almost breathlessly in response.

Even as they ordered, and then ate, Ben kept one large, warm hand on her leg, rubbing it softly as they talked and laughed. She found they had a lot in common, like their love for eighties music and pop culture. They split the bill, and as Rey slid out of the booth, Ben was right there to pick her up and carry her out of the restaurant, despite her protests.

“Gotta keep weight off your ankle,” he explained as he set her down long enough to open the door, and Rey let out a half-squeal, half-giggle as he picked her back up.

“Ben… you’re not going to carry me all the way back to my car, are you?” Rey looked up at him with a grin – not caring at all that he was carrying her down a street in Ann Arbor in the middle of the night – with frat boys and sorority sisters all staring and hollering at them as they moved down the street.

“That was my plan, why? I… I like having you in my arms. I… shit, this is hard.” Ben’s face turned red, and Rey bit her bottom lip to keep from giggling. He was so awkward, it was  _ adorable _ . “Okay, so…” Ben’s voice was soft as he continued walking down the street, his eyes moving to hers for a moment before he looked back at the ground as they moved.

“I… I’ve kinda had a… a  _ thing _ for you since you joined the team. That’s why I keep working with them. I mean, after I have my doctorate in May, I guess I won’t be able to anymore, but… yeah. I like you, Rey. I…I’d love to take you out for dinner sometime.”

Rey could only smile up at Ben, watching him for a moment before replying, “I’d love to, Ben. I… I’ve kinda had a thing for you too, for a while now.”

The smile that came to Ben’s lips was like having the sun come out of the darkness for the few minutes they shared as he carried her back to her car.

[](https://imgur.com/8ouCxwZ)

**Author's Note:**

> Leave comments and kudos, and mash that subscribe button if you like what you see! <3
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr: [my-jedi-life](https://my-jedi-life.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on the twitter: [MyJediLife](https://twitter.com/MyJediLife) (All the twitters - I know them!)


End file.
